I've always preached that seniority is the root of the pay issues with pilots. Pilots going through many jobs in their career and resetting their seniority each time.

Totally getting rid of seniority would create an interim period of chaos so that can't be done.

On the other hand I don't believe a national seniority system is the answer either because that would be logistically impossible.

The solution lies somewhere in the middle in that seniority rules should be flexible and relaxed based on circumstance. For example, it makes no sense for jet pilots to go back and forth between captain and co pilot from job to job...it's inefficient for safety and training costs.

It's also inefficient to allow pilots to jump back and forth between jets and bases all the time.

But a pilot who sticks around and is loyal to a company and a particular equipment should be rewarded with seniority.

That's how most businesses and careers work. There's no reason you can't have strong union contracts with relaxed seniority systems in place. In fact it would give the unions far better bargaining power and give the airlines far more hiring options.

It's free market and union negotiating side by side, under control benefiting everyone.